Summary

  • Wales' official Covid-19 death toll jumps to 751 after a further 110 reported fatalities

  • The increase includes 84 backdated deaths in the Betsi Cadwaladr health board area of north Wales due to a delay in the reporting process

  • First Minister Mark Drakeford says the reporting delay will be investigated but claims it did not affect the overall picture

  • Tougher rules from Saturday will make it clear people cannot stay or exercise outside their area

  • But some restrictions in Wales could be eased at the end of the current three-week lockdown period, the first minister says

  • Debenhams warns its biggest stores in Wales could shut permanently unless the Welsh Government agrees to offer business rates relief

  1. Cardiff chairman disappointed in football's 'bare minimum' responsepublished at 17:25 British Summer Time 24 April 2020

    Cardiff City chairman Mehmet DalmanImage source, Getty Images

    Cardiff City chairman Mehmet Dalman says he is disappointed in football's "bare minimum" reaction to the coronavirus crisis.

    He has warned that Championship clubs face financial "distress" caused by the lockdown and admits the Bluebirds will be among the clubs having to curtail spending plans this summer.

    "I think the impact will be quite considerable if things remain equal," Dalman told BBC Sport Wales.

    Cardiff confirmed on Friday that players had agreed a partial salary deferral with first-team players of up to three months, saying it would help "maintain financial stability" during the "unprecedented time of global economic concern".

    Manager Neil Harris and chief executive Ken Choo had already taken voluntary wage cuts.

    But Dalman insists more should have been done by football in general, also calling for greater help from the Premier League to clubs lower in the system.

    "I think it has been very disappointing, to say the least, the way football has reacted to this crisis," he said.

  2. 'Reporting system issues' over north Wales deathspublished at 17:11 British Summer Time 24 April 2020

    The health board for north Wales says a delay in reporting coronavirus deaths in the region was down to “issues” in its "reporting system".

    Earlier today, another 110 people in Wales were confirmed to have died with coronavirus - taking the total number to 751 – by Public Health Wales.

    The sudden increase in numbers - compared to 17 additional deaths reported on Thursday - included 84 retrospectively confirmed deaths which occurred between 20 March and 22 April in the Betsi Cadwaladr health board area of north Wales.

    In a statement, the board said: “Details of the number of deaths in north Wales were reported in public for the first time today.

    “Due to issues identified in our reporting system, today’s update includes an accumulation of cases where a patient has died while also testing positive for covid-19.

    “All data on cases of covid-19 and deaths have been recorded correctly, and the issue identified relates to how this data is shared. This issue has now been resolved.”

    Sian Gwenllian, the Plaid Cymru assembly member for Arfon, said the delay in reporting the deaths was “alarming”.

    “We need an urgent explanation from the health board, Public Health Wales and Welsh Government as to why there has been a month of under-reporting,” she said.

    “A full picture of the outbreak is essential to maintain public confidence and to inform ministers on crucial decisions such as any easing of the lockdown.”

    Betsi Cadwaladr health board sign
  3. Pub takes rainbow name in key worker tributepublished at 16:58 British Summer Time 24 April 2020

    The White Hart pub in Llantwit Major, Vale of Glamorgan, has changed its name to the Rainbow Hart, to show support for key workers.

    People have posted pictures of rainbows in the windows of their homes as a symbol of hope during the coronavirus crisis.

    White Hart in Llantwit Major
  4. Selby wary of boxing due to family health concernspublished at 16:47 British Summer Time 24 April 2020

    Lee SelbyImage source, Getty Images

    Welsh boxer Lee Selby says concerns over family members with underlying health conditions make him reluctant to return to the boxing gym.

    Selby, from Barry, was set to face George Kambosos Jr in Cardiff on 9 May, but that is one of many bills affected by Covid-19 with British boxing suspended indefinitely.

    Promoter Eddie Hearn says he hopes contests televised from empty arenas could resume in June or July, but Selby is wary.

    "In my house I have two people at risk," the former IBF world featherweight champion explained.

  5. Man jailed for threatening NHS staffpublished at 16:37 British Summer Time 24 April 2020

    A 32-year-old man has been jailed for threatening a nurse and a healthcare worker.

    South Wales Police said the incident happened at Cardiff's University Hospital of Wales on Wednesday as he waited for treatment.

    He has been jailed for 41 weeks.

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  6. Debenhams threatens to keep Welsh stores shutpublished at 16:32 British Summer Time 24 April 2020

    Debenhams has warned the Welsh finance minister it will be forced to shut its major shops in Wales unless the government reverses a decision on business rates relief.

    Chancellor Rishi Sunak has granted a rates holiday to all retail, leisure and hospitality firms for a year.

    The Welsh Government initially said it would match these plans.

    But it has since decided not to extend relief to properties with a rateable value of £500,000 and above.

    In a letter seen by the BBC, Debenhams chairman Mark Gifford writes that the move threatens the viability of its biggest stores in Wales - Cardiff, Swansea, Newport, Wrexham and Llandudno.

    He says in the letter: "It is deeply regrettable that, by electing to take a different approach to that taken elsewhere in the UK, you have made it economically unviable for us to continue trading the majority of our Welsh business.

    "You have failed to understand the situation, where Debenhams Retail Limited is in administration and will cease to pay business rates unless it chooses to reopen its stores in Wales.

    "It will be unable to reopen its stores unless you reverse your decision."

    The BBC has contacted the Welsh Government for a response.

    Debenhams
  7. Inquests postponed after 'frankly offensive' letterpublished at 16:30 British Summer Time 24 April 2020

    All inquests in the Gwent area of south east Wales have been postponed after the coroner was accused of wrongfully holding hearings in private.

    The Press Association’s legal editor, Mike Dodds, wrote to the Senior Coroner for Gwent, Caroline Saunders, earlier this week citing six inquests which he said were held in private during the coronavirus lockdown.

    They include that of 13-year-old Carson Price from Hengoed in Caerphilly county, who died after taking ecstasy in April 2019.

    Mr Dodds said there had been no notice given of the teenager’s inquest and that the media was only given minimal information about the hearing - a case he said was “a matter of considerable public interest”.

    In her response, dated 22 April, Ms Saunders described the allegations as "frankly offensive".

    She told him the "bereaved of Gwent" do "not so much as get a mention in your letter”, adding: “I do not need a lecture about the principle of open justice.”

    The coroner said her intention was to try to tackle a backlog of cases, and to only hold inquests where she felt witnesses were not needed or where the family did not wish to attend.

    But she concluded: “You will, no doubt, be relieved to know that I have acknowledged the voracity of your argument and have therefore adjourned all of the inquests listed from today onwards until the restrictions imposed by the pandemic have been lifted.”

    She said: “I would ask you to reflect on the consequences; one lady has been told today that her mother’s inquest will now not proceed as planned tomorrow because of the concerns raised by the press. She is devastated.“

    Inquests are required to be held in public by law and most coroner’s courts across Wales are not holding inquests at the moment.

    Newport Civic Centre and Crown CourtImage source, Robin Drayton/ Geograph
  8. Disinfectant firm's warning over Trump virus commentspublished at 16:25 British Summer Time 24 April 2020

    A leading disinfectant producer has issued a strong warning not to use its products on the human body after Donald Trump suggested they could be used to treat coronavirus.

    Reckitt Benckiser, which owns Lysol and Dettol, said "under no circumstance" should its products be injected or ingested.

    President Trump has faced a backlash from doctors over his comments at a briefing on Thursday.

    Disinfectants are hazardous substances and can be poisonous if ingested.

    Even external exposure can be dangerous to the skin, eyes and respiratory system.

    Reckitt Benckiser, which also owns the brands Vanish and Cillit Bang, said its products should not be administered "through injection, ingestion or any other route".

    "Our disinfectant and hygiene products should only be used as intended and in line with usage guidelines. Please read the label and safety information," the company said in a statement, external.

    Disinfectant being sold in a shopImage source, Getty Images
  9. Click-and-collect farmers' market createdpublished at 15:39 British Summer Time 24 April 2020

    West Wales food producers have found a new way to reach customers – a virtual farmers’ market.

    Markets in Haverfordwest, Aberystwyth and Aberaeron – which have all had to close during lockdown – have joined forces to create an online food hub.

    Around 25 local producers have signed up to a scheme where customers order online and then collect food at a set time and location.

    The online hub was set up by Alastair Vince, who owns and runs Blaencamel Farm at Cilcennin, near Lampeter.

    "It was looking fairly bleak and we weren't really sure how to continue accessing our customer base and keep the businesses going,” he said.

    “It’s taken off really quickly. We've had 68 orders today across 15 producers in Pembrokeshire and it looks set to continue while we're in lockdown."

    Jenny McLelland, who works for Caws Teifi cheese makers in Ceredigion, added: "A lot of our income is from markets and events which have been cancelled this summer, so being able to do any market is a blessing really.”

    A click-and-collect market stallImage source, Wales News Service
  10. Coronavirus' impact on sport - timelinepublished at 15:30 British Summer Time 24 April 2020

    PSG fan in a maskImage source, Getty Images

    The spread of coronavirus around the world has impacted the staging of sporting events.

    Here is a list detailing what has been affected so far.

  11. How exercise rules are being tightened from Saturdaypublished at 15:16 British Summer Time 24 April 2020

    People should exercise “as close as possible” to home, according to the Welsh Government’s updated lockdown rules, external.

    The restrictions around exercising have been tightened to clamp down on unnecessary travel.

    Cyclists are being told they should travel no farther than a “reasonable walking distance from home”.

    The new rules will come into force on Saturday morning.

    They make it clear people should not drive to a location to do exercise unless it is absolutely necessary. For example, a wheelchair user would be allowed to travel to a nearby space if they were not able to exercise immediately outside their home.

    There is also a warning that people should not use exercise as an "excuse” to do something else, for example having a picnic or sitting for “a prolonged period” on a park bench.

    Cyclists are told to “take steps to manage risk” in order to avoid putting extra strain emergency services and to stick to routes they know well.

    They should also stay two metres from others, the rules say.

    A pair of cyclists take their daily exerciseImage source, Getty Images
  12. Shoppers swap clothes for drink as retail sales sinkpublished at 15:07 British Summer Time 24 April 2020

    UK retail sales fell a record 5.1% in March as many stores shut up shop in the face of the coronavirus lockdown.

    The figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show the steepest sales fall since it started collecting the data in 1996.

    Food and online shopping rose, and alcohol sales also jumped. But clothes sales tumbled by 34%.

    Online shopping as a proportion of all retail reached a record high of 22%, the ONS said.

    Woman choosing wineImage source, Getty Images
  13. Flintshire GP makes own PPEpublished at 14:58 British Summer Time 24 April 2020

    Dr Lalarukh KhanImage source, Dr Lalarukh Khan

    A GP in Flintshire has made her own personal protective equipment (PPE) because she does not believe what is being provided offers adequate protection to her or her staff.

    Dr Lalarukh Khan operates as a stand-alone GP at her practice in the village of Caergwrle, although she has two nurses and administration staff working for her.

    She says PPE guidance “seems to be based more on what can be provided rather than what is best practice".

    “A lot of GPs have self-invested to make their staff, patients and families safe,” Dr Khan said.

    “In my single-handed practice I have improvised by buying boiler suits (fluid repellent), hair nets and face visors from a DIY shop.

    “We tie the plastic aprons as high as possible to cover the neck, wear gloves and surgical masks.

    “The surgical masks provided to primary care cannot be guaranteed effective, nor even the best available.”

    The Betsi Cadwaladr health board, which serves north Wales, said: “We have a robust process in place to ensure that GPs have the correct and most up to date national guidance on the PPE that is required and when it should be worn.

    “PPE is provided to GP practices on a national basis, and not by the Health Board. However the Health Board has been working with all local GP practices to establish an accurate means for them to monitor levels of PPE using an online system.

    "In addition, we have established dedicated primary care leads for PPE which practices can contact so that the Health Board can assist with urgent provision from our stock whilst the GP practice await a delivery through the national arrangement.

    “We would encourage Dr Lalarukh Khan to contact us directly to discuss any concerns she has.”

  14. Where in Wales have people died with Covid-19?published at 14:27 British Summer Time 24 April 2020

    Map of Covid-19 deaths in Wales

    The sharp increase in additional deaths from coronavirus in Wales, from 17 reported yesterday to 110 reported today, is due to a delay in the reporting process in one area, Public Health Wales has said.

    Today's death figures include 84 retrospective deaths reported by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board in north Wales, which occurred between 20 March and 22 April.

  15. Big jump in deaths 'due to delay in reporting process'published at 14:21 British Summer Time 24 April 2020

    Another 110 people in Wales are confirmed to have died with coronavirus - taking the total number to 751, Public Health Wales (PHW) has said.

    The sudden increase in numbers, up from 17 additional deaths reported yesterday, is due to a delay in the reporting process.

    The new figure includes 84 retrospectively confirmed deaths which occurred between 20 March and 22 April in the Betsi Cadwaladr health board area of north Wales.

    Deaths from Covid-19 in Wales by day announced
  16. 243 new Covid-19 cases confirmed in Walespublished at 14:16 British Summer Time 24 April 2020

    There were 243 confirmed new Covid-19 cases since the last count, taking the total to 8,601, the latest update from Public Health Wales has shown.

    The true number is likely to be higher as many people with symptoms are not tested.

    Cases of Covid-19 in Wales by day reported
  17. Students dance in their kitchens and living roomspublished at 14:14 British Summer Time 24 April 2020

    Performing arts students at University of Wales Trinity Saint David have adapted to life in lockdown by dancing at home.

    Their lecturer Tori Johns tweeted: "Super proud of the students."

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  18. 110 more virus deaths in Wales brings total to 751published at 14:07 British Summer Time 24 April 2020
    Breaking

    Another 110 people in Wales are confirmed as having died with coronavirus - taking the total number to 751, Public Health Wales (PHW) has said.

    The sudden increase in numbers - which went up by 17 yesterday - is due to a delay in the reporting process, and includes 84 retrospective deaths which occurred between 20 March and 22 April in one health board area, PHW said.

    The backdated deaths were recorded in the Betsi Cadwaladr health board area of north Wales.

    The new figures also showed 243 confirmed new cases since the last count, taking the total to 8,601.

    The true number of cases is likely to be higher as many people with symptoms are not tested.

  19. Second homes 'a problem that needs to be solved'published at 13:54 British Summer Time 24 April 2020

    First Minister Mark Drakeford said the issue over people travelling to second homes was a "real problem that needed to be solved".

    Speaking at the Welsh Government's daily briefing, he said local authorities would be brought together to be given advice over the issue.

    Mr Drakeford added: “It is possible that there is some ambiguity in the regulations.

    "The police are clear they can stop and turn back anybody who is on a journey to a second home because clearly that is an unnecessary journey.

    “Once people have arrived at their second home, are the regulations clear, that they can be asked to leave and return to their home of origin?”

    The first minister said police had told the Welsh Government that any change in the law would need to be enforced by councils, and the government would have to make sure local authorities were "confident" they could enforce it.

    He also said they would have to have legal advice to confirm it was a “proportionate” course of action.